Flashlight design



March 22, 1949. J. F. ouRY FLASHLIGHT DESIGN Filed July so, 1945 9 as or 3 9 fwd m wivrlw 7 J W M i W 7 6K1 MUM". W 55,, a ifi/W/ w m firm wfi m H U 02 w m M I 1 L \H M. w J0 j 15% V Patented Mar. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLASHLIGHT DESIGN John Foster Oury, Chicago, 111.

Application July 30, 1945, Serial No. 607,762

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a flashlight unit consisting particularly of a panel upon which all of the operating parts of the usual flashlight are mounted and which is adapted to be insertable in and removable from a carrying case of any particular size, dimension, or the like, depending upon the uses and purposes for which the flashlight is to be used.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a flashlight unit which is bodily removable from a case and which can be sold as a unit for replacement in suitable casings, thus providing an easy and quick means of renewing a flashlight and at a price low enough to be attractive and desirable.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a flashlight unit in which the batteries, electrical connections, bulb and the like are mounted upon a panel with all of the parts with the exception of the batteries and bulb being in fixed relation with each other, so that it can be easily removed from or put into a case for carrying in a pocket or the like, thus providing a unit which can be easily taken out of and put into a case if and when desired.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a flashlight unit which is operable independently of the case in which it is caried or which in cases of emergency is operable without being placed in the case, although for purposes of protection and the like it is more desirable to place the unit in a suitable case.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a structural unit which can be placed in a case of unusual and different design and which when the device is assembled all of the parts are in visible position so that the contacts can be cleaned, if for any reason the light should refuse to function, and ready access is had to the parts at all times, whereas in the ordinary flashlight construction if the switch or contact members become broken the entire flashlight must be thrown away.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a flashlight unit in which, if desired, the batteries are easily and quickly removable and can be inspected very easily so that if at any time the batteries fail they can be easily replaced or if a bulb burns out it can be easily and quickly replaced if desired, or the whole unit can be discarded and a new unit purchased and quickly and easily placed in the case.

These and other objects of my invention will be more fully and better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mounting panel and case in open position of my improved invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the mounting unit, operating parts and case; and

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now specifically to the drawings and in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, a mounting panel I0 of nonelectrical conducting properties is shown having an end portion ll turned at right angles to the main body of the panel 10, and having a notch H2 at the end thereof opposite the angularly disposed portion ll the panel In being made of fiber or any other non-electrical conducting material. Mounted on the portion II is a spring contact member 13 having circular portions I4 and I5 with a central plane portion fitted against the portion 1 I of the mounting panel by means of a rivet It. At the opposite end of the panel In is a bracket I! which is secured to the panel ID by means of rivets I8, I8, the bracket II having a circular portion H; which encloses a threaded socket 213 which is adapted to receive an ordinary flashlight bulb 21 having a usual contact member 22 at the rear end thereof. A U-shaped bracket 23 is provided which is riveted to the.

member Iii, the member 23 having upward flanged portions 24 and 25, the portion 25 being elongated and extending inward to a point immediately back of the flashlight bulb 2| and being in engagement with the contact point 22 on the flashlight bulb. Both the members 24 and 25 possess a certain amount of elasticity for contact purposes between the flashlight bulb and a battery cell 26 which is inserted between contact portion 26 and portion H; at the end of the mounting panel l0. A contact member 21 is also provided having a base portion 23 which is secured to the member i6 by means of a rivet with an upstanding portion 29 from which a spring contact portion 30 projects. A push button 3| is provided which is attached to the free end of the contact portion 30 by means of which the contact portion 30 is pushed into contact with the circular portion l9 of the bracket H. A second cell 32 is provided, the base of which is in contact with the contact member 29 and the opposite end with the spring portion l5.

The parts heretofore described constitute a complete flashlight unit which may be put into a case of any kind for protection but which operates independent of the case. For convenience and protection a case is provided comprising a base portion 33 and a cover 34, these two sections being hinged together by hinges 35, 35 and held together by a latch member 36. Each of these sections has half apertures 31, 38 in the sides thereof within which the push button 3| is adapted to be placed with semi-circular apertures 39 and 40 in the ends of the cover sections in register with the flashlight bulb 3|, so that rays of light emanating from the flashlight bulb will pass out of the case upon the circuit being closed.

In operation of the unit the operator, by pushing on the button 3| pushes the member 30 against the side of the bracket l9, this bracket being an electrical conductor and which through the socket 20 establishes a circuit through the filament of the flashlight bulb 2| to the base member 22, contact portion 25, through the cell 26 and member l3, the cell 32 and through the contact member 30. As long, therefore, as the spring member 30 is kept in contact with the bracket I9 the circuit will remain closed and the flashlight will function. Upon pressure bein removed from the push button 3| the electrical circuit is broken and the flashlight thereupon ceases to function. It will be understood therefore that the unit upon which the component parts of the flashlight are mounted normally functions for testing purposes and the like or for repair of the parts and if for any reason any portion of the unit fails to function or is broken the entire unit can be removed from the case and replaced with an entirely new unit by merely dropping it into the case as illustrated in Fig. 1 and closing the case with a snap fastener 36 engaging with a cooperating member on the lower section of the case 33 with the push button projecting out through the semicircular apertures 31 and 38 so that it projects far enough beyond the case for the operator to push the spring member 30 into engagement with the bracket 9. The sections 33 and 34 are hinged together by means of hinges 35, 35, while a strip of insulating material 4| is placed across the member Ill back of the rivets l8, l8 and the rivets holding the contact members 23 and 28 to the panel l0, so that the rivets are insulated from the casing should the casing be made of metal or other material having electrical current conducting properties. It will also be understood that my unit possesses a flexibility not possessed by ordinary flashlights in that worn out batteries or a burned out bulb can be removed and replaced easily and quickly or, if desired, an entire unit containing these parts can be supplied and fitted as a unit into the case, thus quickly renewing the flashlight. Spare units can also be carried, if desired, by inspectors working in dark or unusual places, so that the case can be opened and a new unit dropped into place without the use of light particularly, thus efiecting material savings in time and the like, should the flashlight fail during its use and in operation of inspection of some particular material or unit in a dark place.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A flashlight unit comprising in combination a base member of non-electrical conducting properties having an angular turned end portion, a combined conductor and battery holding member secured to said end portion, a flashlight bulb holding member, a flashlight bulb in said hold ing member, a U-shaped member secured to said base member, one leg of which is a battery holding member and the other leg is a conductor in engagement with the base of the flashlight bulb, an angular battery holding member and conductor having a base portion secured to said base member and a battery holding portion, the said battery holding portion having a spring conductor extension thereon adapted to move into and out of engagement with the wall of the :;aid flashlight bulb holding member, and batteries in said unit.

2. A flashlight unit comprising in combination a base member of non-electrical conducting properties having an angular turned end portion, a combined conductor and battery holding member secured to said end portion, a flashlight bulb holding member, a flashlight bulb in said holding member, a U-shaped member secured to said base member, one leg of which is a battery holding member and the other leg is a conductor in engagement with the base of the flashlight bulb, an angular battery holding member and conductor having a base portion secured to said base member and a battery holding portion, the said battery holding portion having a spring conductor extension thereon normally out of engagement with the wall of the flashlight bulb holding member, a push button on said extension whereby the said extension can be moved into engagement with the wall of the flashlight bulb holding member, and batteries mounted on the said base member between the battery holding members.

JOHN FOSTER OURY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,312,221 Wacker Aug. 5, 1919 1,588,428 Voorhees June 15, 1926 1,588,464 Osean June 15, 1926 2,014,266 Sherbondy Sept. 10, 1935 2,261,000 Muldoon Oct. 28, 1941 2,333,891 Schreyer et al Nov. 9, 1943 2,375,511 Wood May 8, 1945 

